I really like Sweet and Sour Pork. I know it isn’t really Chinese Food and was made for our western palates but I really like it. It comes with a nice fried coating in Chinese restaurants. That coating may be what we’re used to but it makes a mess when you do it at home and fat frying the pork first isn’t really very good for you.

Fortunately, you can make an easy version at home that is quick and doesn’t require fat frying

If you are making any stir fried dish, it is a good idea to prepare all of the ingredients in advance so you can just add them to the pan or wok as they are needed. This is referred to as “mise en place” in kitchens. It is just jargon for having everything ready.

I started by mixing the sweet and sour sauce ingredients together in a bowl:

  • 40 ml (3 tablespoons) brown sugar
  • 40 ml (3 tablespoons) red wine vinegar
  • 30 ml (2 tablespoons) ketchup
  • 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) soy sauce
  • 1 ml (1/4 teaspoon) dried ginger
  • 20 ml (4 teaspoons) juice from canned pineapple

Then I sprinkled 8 ml (1 1/2 teaspoon) of cornstarch over the sauce and stirred to combine.

Cut 175 ml (3/4 cup) of canned pineapple chunks in half.

Cut 250 grams (1/2 pound) of lean pork to 3/4 inch squares.

Dice 125 ml (1/2 cup) of onions, 125 ml (1/2 cup) of red pepper and 125 ml (1/2 cup of green pepper. I only had red pepper so I did 250 ml (1 cup) of red pepper but the green adds nice colour if you have it.

Have all the ingredients handy as you heat a wok or large frying pan.

Put 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of oil in a large frying pan or wok and heat it over medium high heat until the fat just starts to smoke.

Add the pork and stir fry until the pork is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the chopped onions and peppers and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the pineapple and stir fry until the vegetables are just starting to get soft around the edges.

Stir the liquid to get the cornstarch mixed in and add it to the wok. Stir until the sauce is thickened and shiny, 1 to 2 minutes.

Put into a serving dish and serve with rice.

The Verdict

These have a great sweet/sour balance, the pork is tender and the vegetables have some crispness. It may not be real Chinese food but it is tasty!

The Old Fat Guy

Sweet and Sour Pork

Yield: 2 servings

Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients

  • 40 ml (3 tablespoons) brown sugar
  • 40 ml (3 tablespoons) red wine vinegar
  • 40 ml (3 tablespoons) ketchup
  • 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoons) soy sauce
  • 20 ml (4 teaspoons) juice from canned pineapple
  • 1 ml (1/4 teaspoon) dried ginger
  • 8 ml (1 1/2 teaspoon) cornstarch
  • 175 ml (3/4 cup) canned pineapple chunks
  • 250 grams (1/2 pound) lean pork
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) diced onion
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) diced red pepper
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) diced green pepper
  • 15 ml (1 tablespoon) oil

Instructions

  1. Mix the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, pineapple juice and dried ginger together.
  2. Add the cornstarch and mix
  3. Cut the pineapple chunks in half and set aside.
  4. Cut the pork into 3/4 inch chunks and set aside.
  5. Put the onions and peppers in a bowl.
  6. Put the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Heat over medium high heat until smoke wisps appear.
  7. Add the pork to the wok and stir fry until cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  8. Add the peppers and onions and stir fry for 1 minute.
  9. Add the pineapple and stir fry until the edges of the peppers start to get soft, about 2 minutes.
  10. Stir the liquid mixture and add it to the wok. Stir fry until the sauce is thickened and shiny, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  11. Remove to a serving dish and serve with rice.
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2 Responses

  1. The recipe mentions!the soy sauce as an ingredient but doesn’t indicate where to include it in directions. I added with red wine vinegar and ketchup.

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